Peter King on Jason Campbell

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; Next I watched Campbell. My first question was: Where's this guy been hiding? The simple answer: Behind Brown and a very big Cadillac. Campbell is 6-4 3/4 and 230 pounds. His pass-drop is quick and textbook perfect. He sets up ...

Next I watched Campbell. My first question was: Where's this guy been hiding? The simple answer: Behind Brown and a very big Cadillac. Campbell is 6-4 3/4 and 230 pounds. His pass-drop is quick and textbook perfect. He sets up well in the pocket, bouncing athletically until he finds his receivers. He never flinches against a pass rush, moving deftly this way or that to avoid traffic. He throws on the run better than Rodgers or Campbell. On one throw against Kentucky last fall, he rolled out from his 46 to his right, then flicked a sideline throw 19 yards downfield for an in-stride completion. That's the kind of throw he'll be asked to make 100 times a year in the NFL.

I had to look up Campbell's numbers, because I'd been so focused on the two big names that I hadn't focused on the lesser-lights at quarterback. He was 31-8 as an Auburn starter. He shattered the school's completion percentage by three points, completing 64.6 percent of his throws. Why was he not considered a peer of the two top prospects?

I heard two things when I asked around on Friday. One: he scored a very pedestrian 14 on his Wonderlic test last year, then got it up to 28 this year. Teams are suspicious that he studied for his Wonderlic and the 14 is closer to what his true score is. Two: If he was so good, why didn't the Auburn offensive staff design the games around him instead of the great backs?

My rejoinders: In the case of the Wonderlic, wouldn't you want your quarterback to work to get better where he's deficient? I would. And look how the kid adjusted to four different offensive coordinators in his Auburn career. He obviously was able to digest a lot of X's and O's pretty well. In regard to play-calling, let's remember two things: First, SEC coaches voted Campbell the 2004 offensive player of the year. And he averaged 21 pass attempts a game. This isn't Bob Griese with Kiick, Csonka and Morris, folks. This is a guy who controlled a high-octane offense and was the ringleader.

I saw Frye bounce two short throws three feet away from uncovered receivers in his Indianapolis workout, and maybe that just soured me. But his over-the-top throwing motion looked cumbersome and labored. Anderson's been schooled well by former Chargers boss Mike Riley. He throws a tight, hard spiral with a nice touch on the deep ball.

But the 49ers won't be looking at those guys. I hope they take another look at Campbell. I sure would if I were Mike Nolan

If he was so good, why didn\'t the Auburn offensive staff design the games around him instead of the great backs?

It\'s not a well guarded secret that cambell was the product of borges offense last year-they dumbed it down significantly...cambell also worries me in that he seems to need to be coddled in order to be effecient.

Why do you say that baron? I have seen nothing that suggests Campbell would be anything but a fine pro quarterback. He had 4 different offenses, I am surprised he was able to do as well as he did, especially since our current QB seems to struggle so much in just one. Scouts seem to think he has the tools, Kiper thinks so, King thinks so, I haven\'t seen him going anywhere later than the second round, so why are you so against the guy? The Aubrun games I saw I came away impressed with him. He isn\'t Dameyeune Craig.

he oughta fit in just fine with the new dumbed down program here then baron.

for the record, i hope is taken before #40. before last year he never impressed me at all. andrew walter would be a falling gift if still around at #82 though. baton rouge boy lefors at 4th or 5th round wouldn\'t be a bad try-me either.

Why do you say that baron? I have seen nothing that suggests Campbell would be anything but a fine pro quarterback. He had 4 different offenses, I am surprised he was able to do as well as he did, especially since our current QB seems to struggle so much in just one. Scouts seem to think he has the tools, Kiper thinks so, King thinks so, I haven\'t seen him going anywhere later than the second round, so why are you so against the guy? The Aubrun games I saw I came away impressed with him. He isn\'t Dameyeune Craig.

four years of watching him, talking with him, etc...no-he\'s better than craig-way better...but I\'m still not convinved that he can pick up an offense..

If he goes to the right situation he will flourish-this is not the right situation. cleveland will be perfect for him as I think he could easily be like mcnair-but he could easily be akili smith as well.

scouts love guys with the physical tools...any guy whose best season is his senior year scares me..it scares me worse when in most games that guy seems lost and is backed up by three spectacular RB\'s.

The alabama game-the light came on in the second half-kinda like brooks- but cambell almost lost us that game and several others....

he oughta fit in just fine with the new dumbed down program here then baron.

for the record, i hope is taken before #40. before last year he never impressed me at all. andrew walter would be a falling gift if still around at #82 though. baton rouge boy lefors at 4th or 5th round wouldn\'t be a bad try-me either.

I think at the latest cambell will go to cleveland in the second..but I see him being taken in the first.

But Auburn was undefeated. In the LSU game we held Auburn\'s running game in check, and Campbell made sevral key passes to keep the team ahead and running the clock. In the Tenn game, he looked pretty good as well. The bigger the game, the better he seemed to play IMO. We just may have a difference of opinion on this guy. A lot of people don\'t like Rohan Davey but if he was good enough to be the number 2 in NE, he\'s good enough to start here IMO. lol But you are right, it is all about the right situation and this team may not be the right fit for him. But then, why would we look at any QB later. None are polished. The further we wait to draft a guy seems like the worse it will be for us in the future, based on that logic. OR we can hope for another late round gem, but are we really gonna wait to see if after 3-6 years they can finally start? I think we need a guy to push this year and be starting by next year, and Campbell seemed like that gut to me.

ask any auburn fan at the begginning of last year what they think of cambell-they would have said-dumb!!! wasted talent...similar to what we say about brooks.

ask them during the season-they would say-scary. inconsistent. thank god for ronnie and cadillac.

Cambell makes just as many bad decisions as good-not scoring in the bowl game when we get to the red zone several times because he overthrew the ball, the first half against bama, both tennessee games.

those were big, if not huge games-yeah, he played well against the division II schools..but a good defense he had trouble with.

He\'s a nice guy, so I hope he makes it...-most believe that he is a product of borgues\' offense. If he goes to a good offensive co-ordinator--cleveland, tennessee..he has a chance...but it\'s gonna take a couple of years.
but isn\'t that with every player--it\'s about finding the right fit?

I am beginning to get on the Adrian McPherson bandwagon. He scored a 26 on his Wonderlic(one time), 12 pts. better than Campbell and 8 better than Brooks. Plus, he\'s considered a better athelete than both of them.